Sri Lanka

"Ceylon" redirects here. For the time period of 1948–1972, see authority of Ceylon. For other uses, see Ceylon (disambiguation). Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an land mass country in the northern Indian Ocean off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent in South Asia known until 1972 as Ceylon Sri Lanka has maritime borders with India to the northwest and the Maldives to the southwest.

Sri Lanka has a recognized history that spans over 3000 years. Its geographic location and deep harbors made it of great strategic consequence from the time of the ancient Silk Road through to World War II. Sri Lanka is a diverse country, home to many religions, ethnicities and languages. It is the land of the Sinhalese, Sri Lankan Tamils, Moors, Indian Tamils, Burghers, Malays, Kaffirs and the indigenous Vedda. Sri Lanka has a rich Buddhist heritage, and the first known Buddhist writings were composed of the island. The country's recent history has been marred by a thirty-year civil war, which decisively, but controversially ended in a military victory in 2009.

Sri Lanka is a republic and a unitary state governed by a presidential system. The capital, Sri Jayawardenapura-Kotte, is a suburb of the largest city, Colombo. An central producer of tea, coffee, gemstones, coconuts, rubber, and the native cinnamon Sri Lanka is known as "the Pearl of the Indian Ocean" because of its natural beauty, its shape and location, and "the nation of smiling people". The island contains tropical forests and diverse landscapes with high biodiversity.

The country has had a long history of international engagement, being a founding member of SAARC and a member of the United Nations, the Commonwealth of Nations, the G77 and the Nonaligned Movement. It is also the only country in South Asia that is currently rated 'high' on the Human Development Index amazing beaches, marvelous mountains, lush green forests, exciting wildlife, fabulous cities or ancient history, whatever you are looking for, Sri Lanka is the only unique holiday destination that offers all the above excitements within a very short reach and in different climates. Sri Lanka, the glorious island of paradise, is on the Indian Ocean south of India and is widely known as the Pearl of the Indian Ocean, owing to the inexplicable beauty and majesty, which Sri Lanka is fraught with.

Being a multi-religious and multi-ethnic country with a total population of 19 million, Sri Lanka is very unlikely to be described without being driven into a great description as the island is in possession of multiple cultural values; traditional dance, a procession of elephants, masked devil dance and Ruins are to name a few.

On top of what nature has to offer, what is being greatly cherished by the visitors to the island is that the Sri Lankan kindness, the affable attitude of Sri Lankans and the delicious joy of the local food.

Apart from all the beauty and joy that this island of ecstasy is teemed with, Sri Lanka has the highest literacy rate in South Asia. English language is widely spoken within the island.